Divrei Yoel Haazinu

BS"D

DIVREI YOEL PARASHAS HA'AZINU

1. During the time when the Beis Hamikdash stood, a goat would be sent to Azazeil on Yom Kippur as an atonement for the Jewish People. A person specifically appointed for the task would lead the designated goat to a cliff in the wilderness, where he would push it off the edge. Chazal tell us that, due to the people's eagerness to have the goat sent off, some of them would pull at its hair, while urging the agent on. Pulling out the hair of the goat was a desecration of Yom Tov, and therefore, a ramp was built for the messenger to walk on, out of the reach of the public.

The Satmar Rebbe, ZY"A, in Divrei Yoel, asks why the police were not simply called out to contain the crowd. The Rebbe answers as follows. The people who pulled on the hair of the goat did so because of the great pain they felt over their aveiros. They could not wait for the ceremony of Azazeil to be performed and all the sins to be expiated. They acted out of holy pain. When Yidden act for these reasons, even if the crowd is a bit unruly, you don't call out the police. Peaceful measures should be taken to contain the crowd.

2. The Satmar Rebbe, in Divrei Yoel (Parashas Haazinu, pp. 187 - 188) discusses the statement of Chazal that the Torah and Klal Yisroel were both created by Hashem before He created the world. Chazal are telling us that the Jewish People are not constrained by the limitations of the laws of nature. The Jewish People can work outside the parameters of nature and serve Hashem in every situation. This is a power possessed solely by the Jewish Nation. No other nation has this special, G-d-given power.

Perhaps no other segment amongst Klal Yisroel has worked as hard to convince themselves otherwise as the Zionists. The Zionists, since their inception, have focused great energy and attention on attempting to uproot the Jewish People's knowledge of Hashem together with our understanding of the great power of tefillah that we all possess as a result of our close attachment to Hashem. We can overcome all odds through prayer.

The Zionists, on the other hand, would like us to believe that "Israel" is the new Klal Yisroel and that we are protected by the Zionist army. Zionists will claim that the iron dome, built by Israelis, saved so many lives. This is nothing but heresy. Torah Jews know the truth. We know that it is the Ribbono Shel Olam who saves the Jewish People. The Zionists are endangering the Jewish People. It is the talmidei chachamim who protect the Jewish Nation with the merit of their Torah. We must not allow ourselves to be deluded into thinking that the Zionist government or army is helping Klal Yisroel in any way, shape or form.

The Zionists repeatedly call on Jews throughout the world to move to Israel, where, they claim, they will be "safer." The fact of the matter is that those making this call are the ones who are endangering the Jews in Eretz Yisroel and in the entire world. These Zionists claim that we should come to their state and throw ourselves into the arms of the loathsome reprobate who calls himself the prime minister, since he will supposedly save us and protect us. This is utter nonsense. This man endangers Jews the world over by provoking the nations and acting in rude, disgusting ways, all the while proclaiming to the entire world that he represents all the Jewish People on the planet. It would behoove us to begin the new year with a strong commitment of separation from the Zionist State, army, and prime minister. We must cling to the tzaddikim and stay far away from the resha'im. If we do this, we will remain true to the Torah's way and merit to witness the coming of Moshiach, speedily and in our days, amein.

3. "It is stated in the Midrash that Moshe Rabbeinu silenced the heaven and earth from saying shira until he had spoken words of reproach and warning to the Jewish People. The main application of these words would be in the future, not the present. The words spoken by Moshe Rabbeinu were intended for the generation that would enter Eretz Yisroel, a generation that was entirely fitting and righteous. For these great words, it was necessary for the heavens to be silent from saying shira so that Moshe Rabbeinu could say these words that would effect great tikkunim...." (Divrei Yoel Parashas Haazinu, p. 191)

The proper -- and, in fact, the only permanent -- way to enter Eretz Yisroel is to enter as tzaddikim, following Hashem's commands and ways. The Torah issues repeated warnings of the terrible downfall we will, chas v'shalom, suffer if we sin and act in reprehensible ways in Eretz Yisroel. We must view Eretz Yisroel in the way it is meant to be viewed: as a tool in our service of Hashem, a means of attachment to our Father in Heaven. Any other usage of the land is against the Torah and will only result in severe punishment, R"L.

4. The Satmar Rebbe, ZY"A, in Divrei Yoel (Parashas Haazinu, pp. 190 - 191), discusses the great importance of observing Shabbos properly. The Rebbe explains that just as there are 600,000 letters in the Torah, corresponding to the 600,000 basic neshamos in Klal Yisroel, there is also a concept of 600,000 Shabbasos. Each person has a Shabbos that is "his" Shabbos, the Shabbos that corresponds with his neshamah. If a person observes this Shabbos properly, he brings a holy light to himself and to the entire world, if however, he fails to observe this Shabbos properly, he brings darkness to himself and to the entire world. The same holds true for a person's letter in the Torah.

It is therefore of the utmost importance to observe every Shabbos to the best of our ability, always striving for higher levels, and Hashem will help us to observe this one special Shabbos perfectly. We will than merit to bring light to the entire world.

Given the great overriding importance of shemiras Shabbos, it is clear why the Zionists have expended so much effort to cause and increase chilul Shabbos. The Zionists wish to dim the light of the Torah and the world. They wish to destroy everything that stands in their way. We must gather our strength and fight them through proper observance of the holy Shabbos. This will reveal throughout the world the light of Torah and we will soon merit to experience the day that is entirely Shabbos.